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Russian Flag at the North Pole

Rayfuse, Rosemary LU (2018) p.410-418
Abstract
Russia’s planting of a flag on the seabed at the North Pole in 2007 set off a flurry of concern about its maritime and territorial ambitions and the potential for international conflict in the Arctic. However, the law of the sea now renders moot traditional rules of the doctrine of discovery and occupation as manifestations of sovereignty. Thus, the Russian flag at the North Pole is meaningless in the legal sense. Nevertheless, it is not irrelevant. On the one hand, it has catalyzed the development of a ‘law habit’ among the Arctic states now reflected in cooperation on scientific and technical work to support their overlapping outer continental-shelf claims to the Arctic seabed and on other Arctic Ocean matters. On the other hand, it has... (More)
Russia’s planting of a flag on the seabed at the North Pole in 2007 set off a flurry of concern about its maritime and territorial ambitions and the potential for international conflict in the Arctic. However, the law of the sea now renders moot traditional rules of the doctrine of discovery and occupation as manifestations of sovereignty. Thus, the Russian flag at the North Pole is meaningless in the legal sense. Nevertheless, it is not irrelevant. On the one hand, it has catalyzed the development of a ‘law habit’ among the Arctic states now reflected in cooperation on scientific and technical work to support their overlapping outer continental-shelf claims to the Arctic seabed and on other Arctic Ocean matters. On the other hand, it has clearly signalled a claim to an advantageous negotiating position. The flag is thus a physical manifestation of both the power and pretence of international law. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Internationell rätt, International law
host publication
International Law's Objects
editor
Hohmann, Jessie and Joyce, Daniel
pages
410 - 418
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85134933353
ISBN
9780198798200
DOI
10.1093/oso/9780198798200.003.0035
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2f94d8e6-96cd-4681-89f5-b3686cc5919c
date added to LUP
2019-06-14 14:36:28
date last changed
2022-09-06 11:48:39
@inbook{2f94d8e6-96cd-4681-89f5-b3686cc5919c,
  abstract     = {{Russia’s planting of a flag on the seabed at the North Pole in 2007 set off a flurry of concern about its maritime and territorial ambitions and the potential for international conflict in the Arctic. However, the law of the sea now renders moot traditional rules of the doctrine of discovery and occupation as manifestations of sovereignty. Thus, the Russian flag at the North Pole is meaningless in the legal sense. Nevertheless, it is not irrelevant. On the one hand, it has catalyzed the development of a ‘law habit’ among the Arctic states now reflected in cooperation on scientific and technical work to support their overlapping outer continental-shelf claims to the Arctic seabed and on other Arctic Ocean matters. On the other hand, it has clearly signalled a claim to an advantageous negotiating position. The flag is thus a physical manifestation of both the power and pretence of international law.}},
  author       = {{Rayfuse, Rosemary}},
  booktitle    = {{International Law's Objects}},
  editor       = {{Hohmann, Jessie and Joyce, Daniel}},
  isbn         = {{9780198798200}},
  keywords     = {{Internationell rätt; International law}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{410--418}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  title        = {{Russian Flag at the North Pole}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198798200.003.0035}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/oso/9780198798200.003.0035}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}